Dayid maxwell



(No Modl.)

D. MAXWELL.

SLAT ATTAGHING DEVICE FOR ELEVATOR BELTS.

No. 331,515. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

w I a a 02' 1:

'mlnosses. I nweuior.

DAVID MAXKVELL, OF PARIS, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ilhdi' A'lTf-ifihll G DEVlGli-L FOR ELEVATUR BELTS.

J-QLT forming part. of Letters Patent No. 831,515, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed September 26, 1885. Serial No. 178,302. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID Maxwn .L, of Paris, in the Province oftlntaria, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in that-Attaching Devices for Elevator-Belts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

Elevator-belts such as are employed for conveyingstraw, grain, do, especially in harvesters, are usually constructed of canvas or similar fl xible fabric or material, to which are secured at regular intervals transverse wooden strips or slats, which serve to engage and carry the material to be elevated or transported from place to place. These strips or slats are usually applied to but one side of the canvas, and are first prop rly positioned and secured in place by tacks prior to the application of rivets or other fastening devices, if such are employed. in applying these slats to the wide canvases such as are used on harvesters and harvester binders, it has been the practice heretofore to construct a table or platform of a length and width equal to the canvas, and to form a series of grooves in the surface of said table or platform corresponding in numher and position with the slats to be applied. The opcratorsusually boys or girlsiirst fill the grooves with slats, and then stretch the canvas upon the table or platform, after which they proceed to tack the canvas or apron down upon the slats. As a mechanical contrivance to assist in carrying out such a system, the table or platform, although occupying a comparatively large space in the shop, serves merely to support and position these slats and as a rest for the canvas during the tacking operation, which latter is accomplished at a disadvantage, as the operator s required to proceed along one side and lo reach across the table or platforn'i as each slat is fastened in position. The canvashas, moreover, to beheld in proper relation to the slats lying in the grooves, and when, as is frequently the case, the slats are slightly warped or twisted, it is difli cult to maintain the proper relation of the parts.

My present invention is designed to facilitale the manufacture of slatted conveyor belts or aprons such as above referred to by substituting in a higher degree mechanical accuracy for skilled or unskilled labor; and in carrying said invention into execution I have not only succeeded in materially reducing the size of the machine and making available for other purposes much of the space formerly occupied by the table or platform, but also in increas ing the capacity of the mechanical appliances, whereby the canvas or other material constituting the. belt or apron is stretched or laid evenly upon the slat or slats to be secured in position, and is held firmly in contact therewith and presented immediately in front of the operator.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated one form of apparatus for carrying into practice my invention, Figure l is an end view, Fig. 2 a top plan view, and Fig. 3 a front elevation, of my improved machine for applying slats to con vcyer belts or aprons. Fig. 4t represents a modification of the tacking roll or anvil.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The frame-work of the machine, which may be of any improved design or construction, is provided with two end pieces or uprights, A, united at or near the top by one or more crosspieces, A. A table, B, formed or provided with a compartment, B, to receive a supply of slats, and a box or receptacle, B in front for the tacks or other fastening devices, is secured to the uprights A with its rear portion supported upon brackets 12, attached to the crosspieces A, as shown.

The manner of constructing, applying, or supporting the table may be varied or changed as desired, the particular arrangementshown being adopted as illustrating a simple and convenient form.

0 represents a roll of canvas or other flexible material composing the belt or apron, supported upon journals 0, which rest in open bearings in the uprights A. This location of the roll is adopted as most convenient,- but it may be supported in any desirable or convenient place, so that the material can be drawn therefrom as desired.

To the canvas as it comes from the roll I apply a friction device or brake, for retarding the movement of the canvas, and determine the resistance which shall be offered to the pull of the feeding devices, and a straightening mechanism for holding the web extended laterally. These devices may be separately applied; but I prefer to combine them in the following manner: In rear of the roll G are mounted a roller, 0, and an inclined bar or rest, 0", and in the space between the two latter is arranged a loose rod or roller, The end of the web, as it is drawn from the roll 0, is passed around the roller 0 and under the rod or roller 0 the latter pressing it down and holding it in contact with the roller 0 and the surface of the inclined rest 0 The rod or roller 0 operates both as a brake or tension device for regulating the amount of resistance to be overcome in feeding forward the web, and, in connection with the roller 0 and rest 0 as a means for opening out any creases or folds which may occur in the web, so that the latter will be delivered in a flat condition while under tension in but one direction only.

Mounted in hearings on the uprights A isa roller, D, forming a movable endless anvil, in or upon whose surface are formed a series of longitudinal grooves or ways, at, to receive the slats, said roller being preferably so arranged that its upper surface shall project about in line with the front edge of thetable B.

The roller or anvil D, to which is applied a handle, D, or other convenient device or mechanism for setting itin motion,is furnished or provided with a detent or brake-such as the adjustable bar or block dapplied to the journal or shaft ti and forming a portion of the bearing for the roll or anvil, whereby the backward movement of thelatter is prevented.

The operation of the device as thus constructed is as follows: The end of the web,

having been passed around the roller 0 and under the bar or roller 0 is carried up over the edge of the cross-piece A, and upon the surface of the roll or anvil D. A slat is inserted in the upper groove, and the end of the web is tacked thereto by the operator, who is located in front of the roll,where he can without much exertion reach the whole length of a slat. The first slat having been properly positioned and secured to the web, the roll or anvil D is given a partial rotation, and the slat, still remaining in the groove and being carried aroundwith the roll, operates to draw the web forward until the next groove is presented uppermost or in position to receive the succeeding slat, after which the tacks are applied and the operation repeated.

It will be observed that by this arrangement of operating devices the feeding forward of the web is effected through the medium of the slats themselves, and without the employment of other special devices for the purpose. The tension produced is substantially uniform throughout the middle of the web, and the slats are accurately placed and their relative positions determined by the grooves in the face of the roll or anvil, and the operator, be ing placed in front of the roll, is in the most favorable position to perform the tacking op eration, the insertion of the slats, and the feeding forward of the web.

The object in applying abrake or detent to the roll or anvil D isto prevent thelatterfrom being drawn backward and out of adjusted position, and to maintain the web under a uniform degree of tension while the slats are being applied and secured.

The form and construction of the movable roll or anvil can be varied at will without involving adeparture from the spirit of my present invention, so long as it is provided with means for receiving, carrying, positioning, and retaining the slats relative to the web as described. Thus, instead of forming grooves or shoulders upon the roll, the latter may be made cylindrical or polygonal, with detachable rings, flanges, or pins to receive the slats, as shown in Fig. 4, so that a single roll oranvil maybe employed for applying slats of different widths and thickness and at various distances apart. Moreover, should it become necessary or desirable for any purpose whatever to secure the slats upon opposite faces of the web, it can readily be accomplished by extending the end flanges or series of pins, so that the latter will be projected beyond the web when on the anvil or roll, and serve as shoulders to receive and locate slats applied to the upper surface of the web aswell as those applied beneath the latter.

As is obvious, other forms of tension devices might be applied both to the web and the anvil or roll towhich the end of the web is applied, and instead of supporting the roller, rest, and bar constituting the tension and straightening medium behind the roll of canvas, it may be located at any convenient point intermediate said roll and the roll or anvil.

The described machine, although of comparatively small dimensions, is capable of being used successfully in applying slats to a web of any desired length, and by reason of the fact that the web is held under tension and drawn tightly down upon each slat, the

latter, if warped or twisted, will be straightened or forced to assume their proper positions relative to the preceding slat and the surface of the web before the fastening devices are applied.

The grooves or depressions in the drum for receiving the slats are preferably made slightly less in depth than the thickness of the slats, in order that the canvas may be drawn and held pressed upon the slats to position the latter and facilitate the application of the tacks or other fastening devices.

I claim as my invention- 1. In aslat-attaching mechanism of the character specified, the combination of the tension device applied to the web and a roll or movable anvil provided with slat carrying and spacing devices, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with devices for bold ing and straightening the web, of a movable anvil or roll having slat-engaging devices for positioning the slats and feeding the web, substantially as described.

3. The combination, to form a slat-attaching mechanism for elevator belts or aprons, of a tension device for application to the web, a slat carrier and spacer over which the web is drawn, and a table to receive the slats, and fastening devices supported in rear and at about the level of the upper surface of the slat-carrier, substantially as described.

4.. In combination with the tension device for application to the web, the rotary anvil provided with slat-carrying devices and a brake or detent and actuating devices, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the movable roll or anvil, the notched heads or flanges detachably secured to said anvil, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a machine such as specified, and as a means for spacing the slats and feeding the web, a movable roll or anvilprovided with engaging shoulders or projections to receive the slats and hold them beneath the web while the fastenings are applied, and when the roll or anvil is moved forward to draw the web through the medium of the previously-secured slat, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the web or roll of canvas or other flexible material, the straightening-roller, inclined rest, and superimposed bar or roll applied to the web in rear of the feeding and slatapplying devices, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the slat receiving and spacing roll or anvil supported in bearings in front of the uprights, the table secured to the said uprights with its front edge behind, but at about the level of the upper surface of the roll or anvil, and the tension and guiding devices applied to the web, the latter being conducted beneath the table and onto the surface of the roll or anvil, substantially as described.

9. An organized machine for applying slats to a web of canvas or other flexible material,

consisting of the following elements in combination: a frame, bearings for the roll of canvas, a tension and straightening device applied to the web, a movable or endless roll or anvil having slat-spaces and engaging devices, a brake or detent applied to said roll or anvil, and devices for moving the latter at intervals to draw the web from the roll and bring the slats in position for the application of the fastening devices, substantially as described.

DAVID MAXWELL.

\Vitnesses:

E. M. GAMBLE, \V. MILLs. 

